Monday, April 13, 2009

Disneyland Trip Part One

Day One of the trip can be summed up in one word for me: hell. Two days before we left I got one of my raging headaches that I just could not get rid off. Driving three hours to Tacoma, another 45 mins. to Sea-Tac airport, flying for two hours to LA, then riding in a shuttle van with a crazy driver for an hour and a half to Anaheim didn't exactly help it. By the time we FINALLY reached the hotel I thought I was going to be sick, but we still needed dinner and paying $45 dollars for a slice of pizza from room service didn't appeal to us, so off we went. We walked until we found a "normal" restaurant. I drank in the California scenery and weather (LOVE me some SoCal) and played with my camera as we walked.

Thank goodness there's not one, but two IHOPs on the streets surrounding Disneyland. Mediocre food at prices you can afford (unless you're at one in California).

Day One ended when we got back to the hotel and I curled into the fetal position on the bed and Bill told the kids to be quiet so I could sleep. (It was nine o'clock.) Our vacation was off to a rockin' start!! I spent the entire night waking up feeling like someone was sliding hot pokers through my skull and praying harder than I've ever prayed before that it would be gone by morning. When it hadn't let up by 4:00, I panicked. I thought for sure I was about to ruin our first day at Disneyland. I wanted to cry, but my head hurt too bad. When I woke up at 8:00 the next morning, it was gone. GONE. There's only one word to explain this: miracle. Prayers are answered. I decided right then and there that, short of a bloody death, I would not complain, worry, stress over, or let absolutely anything get me down on this trip. And I lived up to that, I'm proud to say. On that positive note, we entered the Happiest Place On Earth.

This sign is my favorite. It hangs over the archway as you walk into the park. It perfectly sums up why I love Disneyland so much. I was going to zoom in and crop it but my computer is decrepit and won't let me, so you can click on it to see it better.

The first thing we did was take the train ride around the perimeter of the park. We thought it was a good place to start, sort of a little taste of what we were about to be doing. This picture makes me laugh because just as I was telling my kids to smile the train finally came and they were trying their best to look at me and smile but it was killing them to not look at the train.

Anxiously waiting to board.

Waiting in the looooong line for the Peter Pan ride.

Trying to pull out the Sword in the Stone.

Joining forces.

Maybe with all three?

Nope, no luck.

The kids rode the carousel, Bill and I opted out. (Neither of us do rides that go around and around and around. It took everything in me to let my kids ride it. We drew the line at the spinning teacups. Are we awful parents?)

They both opted for pirate Mickey ear hats. I thought they were pretty adorable. (Here they are sitting in front of the White Rabbit's house.)

(This was the Casey Jr. train ride, where we witnessed a kid get his head stuck in a wrought iron fence while we waited in line. It was stuck for a good amount of time and he was in hysterics. People were freaking out and a crowd was forming and finally a Disneyland worker came running and pulled his whole body through the fence. People clapped. It was very dramatic.)

On "It's a Small World After All" or what I fondly refer to as "The Longest Ride On The Planet."

Proof that I was also on this trip.

A picture I took of our hotel as we returned at the end of Day Two.

Whew! More tomorrow. Oh, and remember when I said Teaser Tuesday would return tomorrow? I lied. Check back in a week.

That is a great picture of you! So glad you were there too :) I love the "joined forces" photos at the sword. My boys really thought they might be the ones to pull it out since it wiggled a bit when we were there.

We need to get a picture of Anderson and Branson in their matching pirate ears!

Laughed out loud at "Bill finally found his monkey cage". I have thought that was one of the funniest posts ever. I'm so glad that your headache went away so you could enjoy your week!! I love all the pics, keep them coming!

Sounds like a blast. I'm so anxious to take my kids there, you know, after we mortgage the house to pay for everyone! Which I would totally do because I think memories like that will last a lifetime. So cool that you gave that trip (and memory!) to your kids!